


Welcome to the Neighborhood

by Wind_Waves



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: :(, I wanted to do more with him but I ran out of time, M/M, Merlin was only mentioned in passing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-16 23:57:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5845930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wind_Waves/pseuds/Wind_Waves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When newly successful gymnast Gary "call me Eggsy" Unwin moves into Stanhope Mews, he has no idea what to expect.  But someone like Harry Hart certainly isn't it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welcome to the Neighborhood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Whisper91](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whisper91/gifts).



> I hope you like it!

Eggsy stood in front of a gorgeous two story single family home.  It had clean white siding and a tiny second floor balcony that probably only had enough space for flowers and perhaps a small pug.  The whole lot was surrounded by scraggly potted shrubs, struggling upwards for sun. All around, neighboring apartments crowded up against the home in cozy communion, and had Eggsy happened to stop by not less than two years ago, he would have scoffed and dismissed the whole lot as homes for rich toffs. 

 

If only Ryan and Jamal could see him now- he couldn’t believe it himself.  

 

As he opened the door, he fought down the urge to look around to make sure no one was watching.  It was ridiculous- he owned a key, he wasn’t sneaking around or doing anything wrong- but he still felt nervous anyway. 

 

Bollocks, he thought to himself, and shoved the thing open. 

 

“Ere, Mum, this is the place!” he shouted over his shoulder. 

 

He heard her come up behind him, car rumbling ominously on the narrow street.  She pulled into the garage, and eventually came out, Daisy in hand. 

 

“Well,” she said eventually, “It’s quite nice, innit?” 

 

“Wait till you see inside,” Eggsy said.  “Come on, Mum.”  

 

It was small, but everything in the heart of London was small, and this little home was much nicer than the cramped flat they used to live in.  Nice hardwood flooring, a brand- new kitchen, and he’d had new furniture and things moved in.  The whole thing had been fantastically expensive, but- hell, he could afford it now, and his family deserved the best. 

 

He would give anything to get them away from Dean.  Now, the wanker would be going away for a long time, and if he ever returned, they were in the last place he would ever think to look. 

 

Rottie and his pals had stopped coming around the time Eggsy broke his jaw with a single blow to the chin- gymnastics training was good for that.  He was drinking through a straw for a week.   

 

His mum looked around, wide-eyed.  “God, Eggsy.  How on earth-“

 

“You know how, mum,” he said.  “Here, upstairs there’s room for Daisy too.” 

 

Maybe winning the Olympics in a sport like gymnastics wouldn’t have normally made him rich, but, well.  Apparently a dead dad, abusive step father and less than idyllic childhood made him a great protagonist for an underdog story.  People ate that shit right up, and that was about when the movie and book deals started coming in.  He still remembered the gleam in Rox’s eyes when the first emails dropped into her inbox.   

 

“I can’t believe they pay you that much, anyhow,” she said, but followed him up anyways, her eyes as wide as golf balls. 

 

She peeked into the large master bedroom, and a second bedroom down the hall, which had just enough space to fit Daisy’s crib, and had a nice view out onto the street.  “This is mine,” she said firmly, and sat on the bed. 

 

“Mum,” Eggsy said, “the master bedroom is over there.” 

 

“No.  That’s yours, Eggsy.”    

 

“ _Mum_.”

 

“Eggsy,” she said, “It’s your home.”  She didn’t budge. 

 

Eggsy sighed and gave up.  “Alright, then.”  He backed towards the stairs.  “I’m just gonna…” 

 

“You do that,” she said, unhooking the baby bag over her shoulder, Daisy beginning to stir.

 

Eggsy fled. 

 

Looking at the car, he couldn’t believe how much stuff they’d managed to use over the past few days.  The movers had taken care of the worst of it, but they’d needed things to live in right before they moved out of the old flat, and the boot was filled to the brim with them packed tightly together in old crumply boxes, held together with tape and prayers.    

 

“…Fuck,” he said. 

 

“I beg your pardon?”  

 

“Oh _shit,_ ” Eggsy yelped, jumping a foot in the air.  “Shi-shhhhh.  Sorry, sorry.”  He whipped around, coming face to face with one of the most gorgeous men he’d seen in his life. 

 

Said man blinked wide brown eyes behind thick-rimmed glasses.  Eggsy traced the gentle slope of his eyelid, the soft waves of dark hair that curled gently over his forehead, the curve of his jaw. 

 

Eggsy happened to glance down- he couldn’t help it- and for an older man, god, he was _fit,_ a sharp beautiful suit accentuating his trim waist and broad shoulders.  Posh as fuck.

 

And Eggsy’d probably fucked his chances to hell and back, if he had any of them at all. 

 

“Sorry,” he said again.  His face felt hot- flushed.    

 

“No,” mystery man said, “my apologies, I shouldn’t have frightened you like that.” 

 

“Nah,” Eggsy said, shoving his hands in the pocket of his jeans.  “I said fuck- shouldn’t have done that.  Thought I was by myself.”

 

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled, and Eggsy thought he could see god in the pool of his irises.  “You saying ‘fuck’ wasn’t the issue, at all,” he said matter of factly.  “I was wondering if you needed assistance, and simply misheard you.” 

 

“Oh-well.  If you really wanna, any help would be great.  Thanks.  You live around here, yeah?” 

 

“Yes, my home is just down at the end of the street,” he pointed.  “Feel free to knock if you need anything.”

 

Eggsy looked: There was a cozy little cream colored home, framed on either side by its neighbors.  It looked like it fit perfectly there, nestled neatly into a gap made for it.   The house had an austere front, a wide, ostentatious balcony, and a neat tidy little dark brown door.  Eggsy glanced between the man and the home; they both looked like they belonged. 

 

 Eggsy didn’t- not yet, anyway.  But if all the neighbors were as nice as this one, maybe he’d like to.  “I will.  My names Eggsy, by the way.  Eggsy Unwin, but just call me Eggsy, please.”  He put out his hand to shake. “Just moved in.”   

 

The man’s hand was large and dry and warm.  “Harry Hart.  And likewise, I must insist on Harry.”  He raised an eyebrow.  “That’s not your real name, is it?” 

 

“Nah.  It’s a nickname.  But I prefer it,” Eggsy said, and grinned.  “Nice to meet you.”     

 

“And you as well,” Harry said crisply.  He doffed his suit jacket, draping it over his arm, leaving him in a tie and a crisp white shirt.  “Where do we start?” 

 

\---

 

With the car, obviously.  No matter how polite Harry seemed to be, Eggsy wasn’t quite ready to let someone who was basically a complete stranger into all the rooms of his home. 

 

But, apparently, he liked Harry enough to let him into the kitchen. And the living room, and the dining room.  After letting Mum know, of course, but it didn’t make Eggsy feel any less awkward. 

 

Harry set down his box on the floor.  He’d rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, revealing toned forearms.  His tie and cufflinks had long since been undone and placed with his jacket, which was draped neatly over a chair.  “You have a lovely home, Eggsy.” 

 

Eggsy cleared his throat, embarrassed.  “Thanks.  ‘M sure yours is nice too.”  He hadn’t known a thing about what he was doing when he picked the furniture out; Rox had been a huge help. 

 

Harry laughed, low and pleasant.  “Depends on your tastes, perhaps.  My roommate _despises_ my choice in decoration.” 

 

“Roommate?” 

 

“Well, more accurately, he’s a very old friend.  But we’re sharing a home while he looks for a place of his own.  Grumpy, bald, Scottish.” 

 

“Sounds like fun.” 

 

“For the first twenty-four hours, maybe.  Then I remembered why we never roomed together in uni.” 

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“Apparently, he dislikes many of my habits.  For example, I make too much noise in the mornings,” Harry said wryly, “among other things.”

 

“M’ guessing he’s not used to living with other people?”

 

“Not. At. All.”  Harry paused.  “But to be fair, neither am I.” 

“Yeah, I’m still getting used to living with Mum and Daisy again.  It’s not so bad though.  I missed them when I was traveling.” 

 

“Oh?” 

 

“Er.  Well.”  Eggsy hesitated a moment.  “I’m a gymnast, so I go around a lot for events.”    

 

Harry blinked, and then leaned a bit closer.  “Your real name… it wouldn’t happen to be Gary Unwin, would it?” 

 

Eggsy groaned.  “Aw, fuck, you caught me.” 

 

Harry’s eyes widened slightly, then gleamed with amusement.  “I watched you perform.  You were very good, you know.” 

 

“Thanks.  I won the medal after all, yeah?  But I was hopin’ to keep it under wraps.  I mean.  It probably woulda come out eventually, but-“

 

“A few days of peace would be nice,” Harry said.  “I understand.  I couldn’t begin to fathom-well.” 

 

“Bein’ famous?  No one does, until they are.”  Eggsy took advantage of the momentary lull to start heading back outside.  Harry followed him, walking quickly to catch up.

 

“Well, your story certainly caught the public imagination.” 

 

Eggsy snorted.  “’S the only time they actually thought I was better for where I grew up.” 

 

After a moment, Harry asked: “What do you mean?”

 

There was a long pause while they gathered the final boxes from the boot.  Eggsy was grateful for the reprieve.

 

Harry was polite enough, but the way he spoke, the way he acted- he’d probably never been poor in his life. 

 

He’d probably never had to deal with tossers like fucking Hesketh and his goons looking down on him because of his accent, or his class.  He’d probably never had to wonder where the food was comin from, if he’d eat from one day to the next. 

 

Eggsy hesitated for a long time.

 

“Eggsy?”

 

“Yeah, sorry, just wonderin’ how to answer.” 

 

“If you don’t wish to answer, I don’t mind-“

 

“It’s not that,” Eggsy said hastily.  “Just… trying to figure out how to word it.”  He sighed.  “Like, no one ever thought better of me because of where I came from, right?  Just a shit chav with a bad accent.  But now, suddenly it’s so great that I got out of that, made something out of myself.  S’ just, ironic is all.”

 

“You’re right,” Harry said finally.  “It is.  Your background is not something you should be ashamed of.” 

 

“Don’t get me wrong.  I’m glad to be here, and not back in the estates.  But I made friends there, and just because _they_ ain’t out doesn’t mean they’re any less, you get me?” 

 

“I think I do,” Harry said.  “I spent some time in the army.  There were some men-poor, but they wanted to make something of themselves- and they saved my life more times than I can count.” 

 

Eggsy didn’t know what to say.  “Thanks,” he finally said. 

 

“You don’t have to thank me for common decency.” 

 

“I wanted to.  And you’d be surprised.” 

 

Harry smiled.  “Met some unpleasant people in your life?” 

 

“Like you wouldn’t fuckin’ believe,” Eggsy said, and watched, wondrous, as Harry laughed. 

 

He was really a good-looking man.  Even though he wore an expensive suit, even though he was probably as posh as they came- he was easy to talk to.  He never once looked down on Eggsy, or presumed, or anything. 

 

Eggsy would be sorry if he never saw Harry again. 

 

Harry’s chuckles eventually petered out, and Eggsy blinked when he noticed Harry watching him. 

 

“It looks like we’re finished,” he said. 

 

“Looks like,” Eggsy replied, leaning against the counter.  He didn’t really want the conversation to end. 

 

“I should go.  I’m sure you and your family would like some time to settle in.” 

 

“Yeah,” Eggsy sighed, and pushed himself up. 

 

He followed Harry to the door, and in the doorway, he paused, fiddling with his cufflinks. “I truly enjoyed our conversation, Eggsy.” 

 

“Same.  It was really nice talking to you.”  Eggsy lingered in the hall, ready to shut the door but not really wanting to.  

 

Still, Harry hesitated, reaching into his suit jacket.  “Forgive me for being forward,” he said. 

 

Harry held out a white card.  Eggsy took it and turned it over in his hands. 

 

It had the word “Kingsman” embossed on it in gold, and below that, an address on Saville Row.  It was a business card. 

 

“Look, Harry-“  Eggsy began.

 

“No, no,” Harry said quickly.  “My number is on it.” 

 

Eggsy stared, surprised.  Was that a flush on Harry’s face?  There was, a hint of pink just beneath the frame of his glasses.  And here he stood, thinking that Harry was the type to not be flustered by anything.

 

It was unexpectedly cute. 

 

Harry must’ve mistaken his pause for something else, though, because he tried to take the card back.  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have presumed-”

 

Eggsy reeled back, holding the card well out of Harry’s reach.  “Nope, nuh-uh, you don’t get to take this back.”

 

Harry blinked in adorable confusion. 

 

“Harry,” Eggsy said, “I like you.  I liked talking to you a lot.  I’m gonna call or text you, sometime this week- dunno when, because I’m kinda busy these days- but I’m going to.  And when I do, I’ll ask you if, maybe, you have a free evenin’ sometime for dinner.” 

 

“Oh,” Harry said. 

 

 “Yep,” Eggsy said, leaning against the doorframe. 

 

“Well, then,” Harry said, and beamed.  “I hope to hear from you soon.” 

 

“See ya around, Harry,” Eggsy said, and winked. 

 

Eggsy watched Harry make his way down the street, his gait smooth and unhurried, and grinned.

 

“Who was that?” Mum shouted from upstairs. 

 

“Just a new neighbor, mum!”  Eggsy yelled back, still in the doorway. 

 

Harry glanced back over his shoulder.  Eggsy waved him off, unable to keep the smile off of his face.  Eventually, he shut the door.

 

He couldn't help the cheer that bubbled up inside, rising from his chest like the air in fizzy champagne.  This new place wasn't so bad after all.   


End file.
